Sunday, January 25, 2009

Attitude adjustment

Thank you for indulging me my biweekly whine session. Why doesn't someone cyber-slap me? As you wise people probably anticipated, it took some whispers from God and a pre-dawn conversation with Sweet Man to calm me. I think I have caught up with Him and him and can embrace this new chapter of life on the road.

Some of you know that most of 2008 I was praying for a way to engage in my life and not be distracted by cooking, cleaning, organizing, computer, TV, crafting, plain old zoning out, etc. I felt so often like I was missing the chances of each moment with Bug and Bean and Sweet Man because I had to/chose to concentrate on other things. Well, hello, God has answered that prayer - I recognized that when Sweet Man accepted this position, but periodically forget/ignore it. Here I am with limited household responsibilities, no social obligations, few belongings for which to care, and just my family close to me (I mean, within 160 sq. feet close... :). We are safe, dry, warm, healthy. What was I whining about? God is asking me to literally cut the dross loose so that I can see what is really important and participate fully in these moments.

It may be no surprise to you that God is here, in Texas. I don't know why that keeps surprising me. But I knew God was here this morning in our suite, whispering to me before I was fully awake and reminding me that He gives me what I need, always. Sometime what I need is a challenge or an attitude adjustment. I also ask Him not to give me anything He doesn't want me to have. I can't close the my teensy drawers in this place - apparently He doesn't want me to have 13 T-shirts and 9 pairs of socks - and I can/will get on board with that.

We tried another church this morning - a Vineyard - very small, casual - with not one, but two opportunities to fill up my coffee cup during the service. Pretty good music, very touching and Jesus-filled message by one of the church members, kids had fun - superficially, their members were not ethnically diverse but I saw a one with a walker, several with dread locks and a couple with Gucci handbags - interesting.

After church, we drove to Galveston Island to see where Hurricane Ike did most of its damage. It's 4 months later and there are still two-thirds of the businesses closed and boarded up. Lots of shingles, corrugated aluminum, and trash was strewn everywhere. It must be an interesting place even without storm damage. There are historical mansions on one side of the street and pawn shops across. We followed the interstate to the Beach Road, saw the Gulf and stopped for lunch. We plan to go back on a sunny day and spend more time exploring. Sweet Man had already scoped out a dollar movie theater showing Madagascar 2 back in Pasadena, so we drove back to the theater. Now Bug and Bean are napping. We're gonna be fine here. Thanks for your prayers and patience.